Poole leisure centre will transform into warm bank to help people struggling with cost of living

• ITV News Meridian's Richard Slee has been to the centre to find out more

A leisure centre in Poole has become the first in the area to be named as a warm bank hoping to help people struggling to heat their homes.

From next Monday (3 October), anyone worried about rising energy bills can go to the Rossmore Leisure Centre in the Parkstone area to keep warm.

BCP Council says other venues will be set up across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole over the winter.

The idea to use the leisure centre as a safe and warm space for people, came from Sean Gabriel who manages the council owned centre.

He said: "We know this winter could be potentially difficult for many people so we want anyone in the community to know they have a safe warm place to come to.

"We thought we would open up the doors to the leisure centre even more than normal and invite people to come in, keep safe, keep warm and keep active."

He said: "We're open from 6:30 in the morning to 10pm at night, so please come in and be safe, warm and welcome.

"I think there's a lot of people particularly after Covid that may feel isolated and maybe lonely and want to be, as well as doing their activity, come here and be around other people."

People can visit the centre for free and can sit and relax for as long as they want to.